2024 Election: NDC silence communicators over Bawumia’s media engagement

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has instructed its members to refrain from commenting on Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s recent media engagement, following his manifesto launch in Takoradi.

The NDC’s Communication Bureau (NCB) has directed party communicators to “blacklist the program” and instead focus on promoting their own manifesto, which was launched over the weekend in Winneba.

In a notice obtained by DGN Online, the NCB emphasized, “No one should comment or talk about Bawumia’s encounter with the press. We must blacklist the program and talk about our manifesto.”

The directive further advised NDC communicators to resist the urge to respond to any provocations or criticisms that may arise from Dr. Bawumia’s media engagement.

The NCB stressed the importance of staying on message, stating, “No matter the jokes, the goofs, the anger, and lies, please do not comment on it. If you are tempted to comment, kindly post a policy from the manifesto.”

The notice also instructed administrators of NDC social media platforms to delete any posts related to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and to issue warnings to those who violate this directive.

This move comes as the NDC struggles to capture public attention with its recently launched manifesto.

Despite efforts to promote the document, it has been overshadowed by the NPP’s manifesto, prominently featuring Dr. Bawumia.

The NDC’s strategy to avoid engaging with Dr. Bawumia’s media encounter is seen as an attempt to redirect focus back to their own campaign promises.

However, critics argue that this approach signals a reluctance to engage with the NPP’s ideas and could be perceived as a sign of weakness.